Titanic: Love & Tragedy
by Flowers-and-Roses-1919
Summary: Ismay, meets a poor, third class girl, named, Vidalia Dawson - a girl who has NO idea, at the moment she boards Titanic, that she's related to Jack Dawson. Both Ismay & Vidalia find love together, but they also face GREAT heartache, sadness & tragedy.
1. Vision of Salome

**_Love & Tragedy  
_**

_Summary: _

_J Bruce Ismay, meets a beautiful, interracial girl, named, Vidalia Dawson - a girl who has NO idea, at the moment she boards Titanic, that she's related to Jack Dawson. Both Ismay and Vidalia find an amazing love together but together, they also face GREAT heartache and sadness on their voyage on the doomed R.M.S. ship._

* * *

Bruce Ismay had just come from talking with EJ Smith and Titanic, shipbuilder, Thomas Andrews Jr. They were discussing about how great the first day of the sailing voyage was going. Bruce had been encouraging EJ to speed up, as it would make GREAT headlines, if Titanic arrived in New York much earlier, but from EJ's response, Bruce could tell, he still had much convincing to do with EJ. As Bruce walked to his room, he thought of how he was in need of an assistant, someone who could be a servant to him, bring him his meals, when he didn't feel like leaving his room, bring him his newspaper in the mornings, clean around the room, help pick out his best suits to wear around the ship. He was definitely in need of a servant. He had put in the request for one, minutes after he stepped aboard the ship. And as he walked into his room, there _she_ was. She was dusting all around the room, in a long, floor length, 1900's lavender colonial dress, her long, silky, black length hair was flowing effortlessly on her shoulders. As Ismay walked closer to her, he was able to take a better look at her, she had the most beautiful, smoothestskin. However, he could tell she was poor third class. Ismay raised an eyebrow at her.

"Excuse me, WHAT are you doing in here?" Ismay asked coldly.

The girl looked up at him, he could tell she was no more than twenty-four, twenty-five, with her big, bright, sparkling, hazel eyes. She looked at him humbly and nodded.

"Yes, Mr. Ismay, I was told you required a servant." The girl said.

Ismay frowned with confusion and shook his head with a brief smile.

''YOU'RE my servant?" Ismay said with disbelief.

The girl looked down with an offended frown and blinked twice.

"Well, yes, I am," the girl responded in a low tone, "I'm the BEST servant you'll ever have, Mr. Ismay, I promise. Truth be told, I asked if I could be your servant. I've always admired your work with Harland and Wolff."

Ismay looked at her faintly and briefly smirked. He was impressed, but not that impressed.

"Well, what's your name?" Ismay responded strongly.

"Vidalia Dawson," the girl responded with a slight curtsy bow she made in front of him.

Ismay looked at her with intrigue.

"Vidalia," Ismay asked with curiosity filling his voice. "Well that certainly doesn't fit a name for someone third class."

Vidalia giggled slightly.

"Well, yes my father was half Irish," Vidalia replied. "However, I didn't know much of him, all I knew was that, he was my father, and he lived in Chippewa Falls, Wisconsin with his son, that's all."

Ismay stared at the young girl, in silence for the moment, her beauty was captivating to him, also it amazed him that she spoke with intelligence that was very rare for any girl he'd seen. He nodded and hesitantly extended his hand to her.

"Well, it's—pleasant meeting you." Ismay said with a slight coldness.

Vidalia shook his hand and politely smiled.

"Yes, indeed, you as well, Mr. Ismay." Vidalia said with a pleasant tone. "and I've spent many months learning all about you, you're the chairman of The White Star Line and you're the owner of this beautiful, luxurious ship, you were born in Crosby, Lancashire, a small town near Liverpool."

Ismay stared at her with perplexity and looked down briefly, scoffed and smiled.

"Well, you do know a lot," Ismay said lightly, with a brief laugh, "that's impressive."

Vidalia nodded and smiled politely.

"Well, I require nothing less in cleaning, than what any other servant would do," Ismay said coldly, as he walked past her and started circling around the room.

Vidalia nodded and smiled politely again.

Ismay stared at her with even more intrigue. He raised both eyebrows, smiled briefly and nodded.

"Very great," Ismay responded. "Well, I require coffee and my morning newspaper, please. I will be out on the deck of my stateroom awaiting it."

Vidalia nodded with a happy smile.

"Yes, Mr. Ismay, right away, sir." Vidalia said as she quickly dashed out the room.

Ismay glanced back at the door Vidalia left out of and scoffed with a brief smile. Despite just meeting her, one thing he could pick up on was that she definitely was happy to be a servant. He'd never seen such a happy servant…or such a beautiful one for that matter.

It was about ten minutes later, when Vidalia walked out on deck rolling a cart with porcelain cups on it and a tall, white, porcelain coffee pot on it. Next to the coffee cups was a folded newspaper. Ismay was sitting in a chair on the deck of his room, staring out endlessly at the bright, blue ocean, as the bright, warm sun glistened the waves just right. He stared at her as she placed a cup and a dish on the table in front of him and began pouring coffee inside it. When she missed the cup and accidentally spilled coffee on the table, his eyes widened with upset. He stared at her coldly. She gasped loudly and looked at him with embarrassment.

"Well GOODNESS, you've stained this perfect table cloth." Ismay scolded coldly.

Vidalia quickly put the coffee pot down on the table and grabbed a medium sized napkin on the cart beside the newspaper and began wiping the coffee off the table cloth.

"Oh, I'm so sorry, Mr. Ismay." Vidalia apologized sincerely. "It—it was a mistake. I—"

"You're darn RIGHT, it was your mistake!" Ismay yelled angrily. "A simple cup of co—"

"I know I'm sorry, Mr. Ismay." Vidalia apologized again, her face slowly forming into a look of guilt. "I was tired and I just lost my balance pouring—I'm sorry."

Ismay stared at her with observance. She _did_ look slightly weak and tired, yes Ismay could tell around her eyes that she indeed look tired. He nodded with a look of seriousness.

"Sit down." Ismay said in a slightly commanding voice.

Vidalia looked up at him as she was constantly wiping the spilled coffee off the table cloth.

"I'm sorry, Mr. Ismay?" She responded.

"Sit down, in the seat over here." Ismay repeated as he carelessly pointed at the seat sitting right beside him.

Vidalia stared at him for a brief minute and then slowly went and sat down in the chair beside him. She sat on the edge of the seat. She didn't feel right sitting back in the chair and being comfortable around someone of J Bruce Ismay's stature, after all, she _was_ a servant, nothing more. Ismay looked at her as he took a sip of his coffee.

"So tell me more of what you know of me?" Ismay asked lightly. "I'm curious, just how much more do you know. Its amazing that someone—well someone of your stature could know of who I am."

Immediately, Vidalia's face lit up brightly, this amused Ismay.

"Well, I know that you play amateur footballer, and that you played for the Liverpool Ramblers" Vidalia said. "Also I heard that you're a very nice, friendly and humble man and most of the female servants on Titanic have said that you're very handsome and well, if I may say, Mr. Ismay, they're quite right."

Ismay stared at her and then looked away and chuckled briefly.

"Well thank you, I suppose," Ismay said. "Flattery takes you a long way, well flattery and beauty, both of which I see you've successfully acquired."

Vidalia looked down and smiled, blushing heavily in the face. Was her ears deceiving her? Was J Bruce Ismay flirting with her? Oh, of course not, she was a servant, and he was just playing her a friendly compliment, nothing more. She looked up at him and smiled.

"Well, thank you, Mr. Ismay." Vidalia said politely. "Well I really should get back inside, I saw you hadn't quite become unpacked and so I should get started on doing that."

Ismay nodded as he grabbed the newspaper off the roller cart beside him, opened it up and began reading. As Vidalia walked to the door entrance that led back to the room, she stopped and she had a question in mind, she started not to ask him the question but Vidalia had always been bold, daring, her mother said she had picked that trait up from her father, Daniel Dawson. Vidalia turned and looked back at him.

"Um, Mr. Ismay, should I put away your wife's belongings as well?" Vidalia asked.

Ismay slowly lowered the newspaper and looked straight ahead at the ocean, not looking at her at all. He raised an eyebrow and scoffed.

"I'm NOT married, Vidalia, if that's what you're asking." Ismay said almost coldly.

Vidalia looked down and tried to hide the small, faint smile that was creeping on her face, but she couldn't. Luckily Ismay didn't see the smile. She disappeared into the room and he lifted his newspaper back up and continued reading.

Why was she concerned whether he was married or not anyway? Was that her way of letting him know she was showing interest in him? Oh well, either way, Ismay could not show interest back, everyone on Titanic would look at him in poor taste, if he even THOUGHT of showing interest in her, so he couldn't, no matter how beautiful she was, no matter how bright and sparkly her big, brown hazel eyes were, no matter how beautiful, shiny and long her black back length hair was, no matter how smooth, soft and silky her skin looked, no matter how soft her pretty, pink lips were, he couldn't and wouldn't show interest, at all.


	2. Cavalleria Rusticana

It was later that evening, when J Bruce Ismay walked back in from having a tour with Thomas Andrews, and a socialite couple, whom he thought was just simply marvelous, Mr. Guggenheim. Thomas Andrews Jr., was showing Ismay and Mr. Guggenheim all around the ship. When Ismay returned to his room, he saw Vidalia sweeping in the room. He had about an hour and a half until dinner time in first class. He walked over to Vidalia and stepped in front of her, that's when he picked up that she was doing something more than just sweeping. However, he didn't pick up on this at first.

"Vidalia," Ismay began, "I need you to—"

He stopped when he saw her light, black mascara was stained under her red, puffy, crying eyes, her chin was trembling, tears were streaming down her face. He frowned and as she lowered her head further so he wouldn't see her crying, he leaned down low so he could look up at her face and she lowered her head lower. He gently took his hand and lifted up her chin and observed her face. He raised an eyebrow in suspicion.

"You've been crying," Ismay stated. "Why?"

Vidalia lightly moved her head away from him and frowned slightly.

"I just received a telegram from my aunt in New York," Vidalia said with a teary voice. "My mother died last night, in a fire. Our home burned to ashes, and she's—she's dead."

Vidalia covered her face with her hand and broke into silent, severe tears and he stared at her with sympathy. He knew all about loss, especially family loss. When he lost his father, Thomas Ismay in 1899, it almost damaged him emotionally. His father meant the world to him, his father was his best role model and when his father died, Ismay felt as if a piece of him died as well. Ismay gently took the brook from her and dropped it to the floor. He took her by the hand and led her over to a sofa in the room and he sat her down and sat down beside her. He reached behind him and grabbed a box of tissues and handed her one. She took two and wiped the tears from her eyes. He stared at her with sympathy as he gently touched her arm.

"I'm sorry to hear about your mother, Vidalia." Ismay said in a low, warm tone.

Vidalia nodded as she wiped more tears away with her tissues.

"I can't believe mother is dead." Vidalia said through tears. "Now where will I go? I have no home to go to. I have no family now."

Ismay stared at her with continued sympathy. He gently held her hand in his warmly. He slowly turned her face towards him to look at him.

"_My Goodness," Ismay thought to himself as he stared at her, "she's even beautiful when she's in tears."_

Ismay lightly wiped tears that were streaming down her face away with his hand, as he did, she lightly closed her eyes. He became mesmerized in her beauty at that moment that he couldn't take his eyes off her, not even for one second. Without him even realizing it, he slowly reached forth and kissed her gently on the lips. It was a kiss that lasted for all of ten seconds but immediately, and it was a kiss that sent Vidalia's heart racing, it left her stomach turning in knots. She felt the warmth of his lips on hers, she felt deep passion just from the ten seconds of their lips embracing each other, however, immediately; he pulled away and looked at her with complete guilt. She opened her eyes and stared at him as she touched her lips softly. He quickly stood up and his face turned pale white, he blinked repeatedly.

"Um—um, I—I apologize," Ismay said nervously, as he looked left and right around the room, making sure no one was looking at him, although he already knew no one else was in the room but she and him.

Quickly, Ismay turned and walked quickly to the door of the room. Vidalia stood up quickly and followed him to the door.

"Mr. Ismay wait!" Vidalia shouted as he left out the door, slamming it shut behind him.

Vidalia sighed as she leaned her back up against the door and frowned. She felt embarrassed not only for herself but for him. Although she had no idea why she was embarrassed for herself, she didn't kiss him, he kissed her, but it wasn't as if she didn't want him to. It was great to her, despite it only being ten seconds, it felt great, but she indeed feel so much guilt and embarrassment, along with the grieving sadness she was already feeling over losing her mother, that she wasn't sure how she'd be able to be Ismay's servant now, or even look at him after what just happened.

As Ismay walked down the hallway towards the deck of the ship, he sighed and frowned. He was mentally cursing and punishing himself for kissing her, despite the fact that the ten second incident kept replaying over and over and over in his mind as he walked onto the deck.

"_Did I actually want to kiss her? Is that why I did it?"_ Ismay thought to himself.

He wasn't sure, all he knew was that he did kiss her, and there was no way he was returning back to that room until after he was sure she had left out. He'd be too nervous and filled with guilt and embarrassment to go back in there and face her, more so because he knew if he went back in there and faced her, he'd have to apologize once again for kissing her, that was just in his nature, to profusely apologize whenever he felt as if he wronged someone, but he couldn't go back to that room and profusely apologize to her, because he wasn't sure if he was wholeheartedly sorry for kissing her. He couldn't quite make out what his emotions were, after what had just taken place in that room, and it would take Ismay some long hours, maybe even a day or two before he actually could…..


	3. Burning Passion

A/N: Thanks so much for the TWO reviews I received from EnjoyItAll8000 and ThomasAndrewsFan1912, I truly appreciate it, it be nice if I had more though, lol, come one where's my Jack and Ismay fans? LOL Ok now on to the rest of the story:

* * *

Ismay's POV:

When I returned to the room, I breathed a sigh of relief, Vidalia was nowhere in sight, good, that would cut the embarrassment short for the time being. I decided I needed some fresh air, so I left the room and decided to head back out to the deck before dinner.

* * *

Vidalia's POV

As I walked along the deck of the R.M.S. Titanic, the bright, sunshine hit my smooth face warmly. I stopped by the railing and stared down into the ocean, the beautiful, blue ocean, the ocean that reminded me so much of the beauty of my mother, within seconds before I knew it, I was crying. I didn't recognize that someone was watching me crying, but someone was and that someone was Jack Dawson. Jack walked over to me and leaned up against the railing beside me and pulled out a small napkin from his pocket and handed it to me.

"My you're much to be pretty to be crying," Jack said with observant eyes, "especially on a warm, pretty, sun shining day like this."

I looked up at Jack with her wet eyes and shook my head as I took the napkin from him.

"Thank you," I said lightly with a tearful voice. "I'm just so despondent. I just received word my mother passed. Now I have no one, on top of that, I just did something horrifically embarrassing with Mr. Ismay as I'm a servant in his room. This is just the worst day ever."

Jack shook his head and scoffed.

"Wow, that is a terrible day." Jack responded. "Well I'm Jack Dawson, you can consider me a friend, so you do have someone now—me, a friend."

I looked up at Jack with a perplexed look.

"What—I'm sorry, what's your name again?" I asked.

"Jack Dawson," Jack replied with a brief smirk.

I stared at him with complete surprise, there was no way, could he have been? Was he? I had no clue. Jack looked away from me briefly and laughed.

"Why? What's wrong?" Jack asked.

I looked down at the ocean again and slightly shook my head.

"Where are you from, Jack Dawson?" I asked.

Jack stared at me suspiciously.

"I'm from Chippewa Falls, Wisconsin," Jack responded with a scoff and a smile, "why?"

I looked up at him with widened eyes of surprise.

"My goodness," I said with surprise, "was your father's name, Michael Dawson?"

Jack's eye brows went up slightly and he stared at me with curiosity. He nodded with slight hesitance.

"Yeah, how—how did you know?" Jack asked suspiciously.

I stared at him with shyness.

"Well, because he was my father too." I said lightly. "You see before he moved to Chippewa Falls, he and my mother were married and they had me, and I'm—"

"YOU'RE Vidalia?" Jack said with surprise.

I nodded with a brief smile.

"You know of me already?" I asked.

Jack laughed.

"Well yeah, my father always talked about how he had this daughter of his that he left behind in New York." Jack said, "he said her name was Vidalia and he talked about how much he regretted leaving her and her mother, but that's all he ever would say about—about you and her. WOW, so you're my step-sister."

I nodded with a brief smile, suddenly not feeling like I was completely all alone anymore. Jack looked me up and down and smiled.

"Well, you're a beauty, I see you've picked up the great Dawson looks from dad." Jack joked and I laughed.

Jack hugged me warmly, which took me by surprise, he was nicer than most of the very distant family members I met once before.

"Well, consider yourself no longer alone." Jack said as he continued to hug her. "You're family, my family, alright?"

* * *

Ismay's POV

As I walked out onto the deck, I felt the breeze instantly hit my face, it was cool and just what I needed to help me think about how I foolishly just kissed my servant, whom I hardly knew like some schoolboy with a attraction crush. As I walked further down the deck, I stopped when I saw what was taking place in front of me, there was Vidalia, hugging up on some young lad with blond, short hair. Who was he? And wasn't it just in a bit of distaste that not short of fifteen minutes after I kissed her in my room, she's out hugging some lad on the deck? I looked down and sighed with a shake of my head. Wait, is this—is this jealousy? Is this jealousy that's striking within me? Why else should I care what she's doing? Who's she hugging on?

"Um, maybe its because she's my servant and instead of hugging on some lad, she should be in my room doing her servant duties?" I thought to myself as an excuse.

I looked up and scoffed and nodded. Yes that was it, I expected her to be doing her servant duties in my room, not playing hug and feel with some lad on the deck. Well, there would be extra work for her to do later, that I would guarantee. I quickly rolled my eyes at her and the lad and turned and walked off the deck, seeing that spectacle turned me off from wanting to spend another second on the deck.

* * *

Vidalia's POV

When I returned to Mr. Ismay's room,it was close to two in the evening, I didn't have much time to talk to Jack, because I had to hurry back to Mr. Ismay's room and help clean and help him prepare for dinner that evening, so I told him we'd talk the next day. However, I never imagined he'd have me doing so much work, so much here and there, clean this and that. I had to clean areas of the room that I was absolutely positive that no other servant on Titanic had to clean. I wasn't sure why either but Mr. Ismay was talking to me rather coldly and snappily when I was in the room cleaning. As I was on my hands and knees, scrubbing the bathroom floor with the smallest toothbrush I had ever seen, my hands were beyond tired, my face was dripping in perspiration, my back and legs were throbbing, I had spent four hours already cleaning the room and I felt I was only minutes from collapsing with unconsciousness. At that moment, Ismay walked in the room. He stared at me with an eyebrow raised, his fine, black, dinner suit on.

"Vidalia, when you're done, you can take that SAME toothbrush and RE-CLEAN the deck of my cabin." Ismay replied coldly. "It is NOT clean, I can't see the shiny glow of the moon on that deck."

Ismay turned to walk away but I stood up quickly, almost falling back down to the floor in weakness.

"Mr. Ismay, I've been cleaning all evening," I said with light weakness, "for the past four hours, I have been cleaning and my entire body hurts and I'm exhausted. Can I please clean your deck tomorrow, sir? I'm tired and I'm quite hungry."

Ismay stopped in his tracks and slowly turned and looked back at me, up and down.

"Now, WHY would I give you the rest of the night off?" Ismay asked coldly. "Besides, I guess you are tired, had you started your servant duties earlier, instead of hugging and caressing that—young boyfriend of yours, on the deck of the ship, maybe you'd be DONE with your duties by now."

I frowned at him, he had been spying on me, he had to have been for him to have seen Jack and I. But great, now he thought Jack was my boyfriend or something, no wonder he had me doing all this work, Ismay was jealous—or was he? Why else would he work me this hard and treat me so cold? Especially when everyone else said this man was the nicest man, besides Thomas Andrews ON the ship? I looked down and sighed.

"Jack is NOT my boyfriend, Mr. Ismay." I responded strongly. "You'd KNOW that had you asked, instead of just standing there and spying on me. He's my step-brother."

Ismay stared at me with a embarrassed look, like he had just been caught saying something absolutely ridiculous—and he had. He quickly reprieved himself however by staring at me with a daring look.

"Excuse me, Vidalia?" Ismay said coldly. "Are you accusing me of SPYING on you? Well how DARE you, do you know who I am for you to accuse me of anything?"

I looked at him with the same daring eyes, well when talked to like that, usually servants would back down and retreat, however, not I. I was not about to back down just because he was Bruce Ismay, no matter who he was or how handsome he was. I put my hand on my hip and looked him up and down.

"Why yes I AM, accusing you, Mr. Ismay." I said daringly. "How else would you have known what I was doing on the deck. If you wanted to know if I was spoken for or not, all you had to do was ask. You DO know how to ask, right? I mean I'm sure you were taught little things like that, right? You didn't have to be jealous."

Ismay's eyes widened with shock as he stared at me.

* * *

ISMAY POV

Well this little lady was getting me angrier by the minute, who did she think she was?

"Well how DARE you talk to me like!" I shouted as I stepped closer towards her. "I was not watching you and I most certainly am NOT jealous of you and—and him! What ever for! And further more, don't you EVER talk that way to me again! You are a servant and don't you forget it!"

She stepped as close to me as she could and I didn't blink not once, I wanted to show her who was in charge in that room, no matter how captivated I was by her beauty at that moment.

"I JUST did, talk to you like that, Mr. Ismay." She said boldly. "What are you going to do about it? Don't play coy with me; I _know_ you were jealous, why else would you have worked me THIS hard? I've cleaned areas that no other servant is supposed to even DO on this ship. Admit it, Mr. Ismay, you wanted to kiss me earlier and when you saw me with Jack, you thought I was spoken for and that made you even the more angry."

What in HELL was this girl doing? Yes, she was right but still, how in HELL did she know all this about me? Well, I being Bruce Ismay wasn't going to let her off the hook with her words. I raised an eyebrow at her and stared at her with coldness.

"You are one smart mouthed, rude, uncivilized woman!" Ismay said loudly with anger.

She laughed and nodded.

"Sure and I'm the smart mouthed, rude, uncivilized woman that you KISSED this morning." She mocked with a smile.

"It was a MISTAKE!" I shouted with a hint of nervousness. "I—I was—well—I was caught up in a moment and—and—"

"Sure you were, Mr. Ismay!" She shouted, obviously enjoying continuing on with me with this argument we were having. "Just like it was a mistake when you watched me on the deck and thought Jack was my boyfriend!"

I scoffed and frowned, this girl was really making me angry—and she was also making me feel something else, but I couldn't think of it then.

"Look—VIDALIA, if I wanted to really kiss you this morning, I WOULD have!" I shouted as I stepped closer to her.

"Oh but you DID, Mr. Ismay!" She shouted. "We sat right on the sofa in the—"

"Oh that WASN'T a kiss!" I shouted angrily.

"Ha!" She said with a smile. "If that wasn't, then what was—"

Before she could finish her sentence, I pulled her quickly in my arms and kissed her passionately. It was a kiss that was better than the one this morning. I felt her wrap her arms around me and as she did, I pulled her closer in my arms and deepened the kiss. As I pushed her up against the wall that was behind her and kissed her harder, it came to me what I was doing and even though, I was much too lost in the passion of what we were doing, I pulled away from her slowly and let out a loud breath. She smiled and sighed. I looked down and frowned and shook my head. Once again, I felt embarrassment. I was letting it happen, I was liking this girl, even though I knew it was wrong. Apparently, that didn't matter to me, as I looked up at her and kissed her a second time, only much stronger this time around. It was during the second kiss that I realized truly what I was doing with this girl. I pulled away quickly and stepped back from her, touching my lips gently. I could still feel her kiss on them. I shook my head again, feeling very confused.

"I—I um, have to leave out for dinner." I said in a low, tone. "You can forget the deck for tonight, go and retire in your—cabin."

I turned and went to make a quick exit for the door but I stopped at the door and turned and looked back at her. She was touching her lips and smiling. The look of contentment she had on her face strongly matched the feeling I had at that moment from kissing her.

"Goodnight, Vidalia." I said in one quick breath before walking out the room.

As I walked down the hall, I couldn't believe what I had done, I just kissed Vidalia, a servant, a servant who was by all means to everyone else on the ship, forbidden to be romantically linked with, but the passion I felt just seconds earlier was much too strong to resist and ignore. If tonight with her in the same room as I, was this passionate, I shall imagine what the rest of the days and nights shall be like? Oh what a dilemma did I have, especially if anyone found out about my attraction to her, oh what problems would I have on my hand…..


	4. Conversing

Thanks to Big fan and to everyone who have already reviewed, thank you! I LOVE YA! PLEASE keep reviewing, THANKS!

* * *

Ismay sat out on the deck of his cabin, on the bright, sunny Friday morning.

Ismay's POV

My mind was rambling with thoughts of what occurred between Vidalia and I the night before. Why, oh why do I think its such a bad thing to have an attraction to her? Besides, its not as if she's THAT dark in skin tone, she's a brown slightly vanilla/cocoa tone, a beautiful tone. She's absolutely beautiful, and I bet she'd be even more beautiful with the right makeup, hair all dolled up, the right dress, yes, I bet she'd be stunning. My thoughts of Vidalia and her beauty were quickly cleared away as she walked onto the deck, with a roller cart filled with food, dishes, cups and a large, white coffee pot and a newspaper. As she placed a plate of breakfast food on the table in front of me, along with my cup of coffee, I could tell she was nervous being around me, her hands were trembling slightly, and she wouldn't look up at me not even once. I gently touched her hand and looked up at her.

"Sit down, Vidalia." I said in a low tone.

She looked at me with nervous eyes and nodded. She sat down in the seat beside me and as I turned in my chair to face her, I could smell the scent of her perfume, it smelled like lavender, lavender and roses. I could've almost gotten lost in her scent.

"Would you like some coffee? Some breakfast?" I asked not looking her way.

She stared at me with seriousness. I couldn't read her if I tried at that moment, her expression was blank.

"Mr. Ismay, shouldn't I be doing work?" Vidalia asked lightly.

I looked down and nodded and looked up at her, into her eyes, my God those eyes, I could've gotten lost in them. It took me a while to look away from her.

"The work can wait until later." Ismay said lightly. "I'd like for us to converse."

* * *

Vidalia's POV

I can't believe he wanted to converse with me, me of all people, well but then he did kiss me, so him wanting to converse with me wasn't a complete surprise. I looked down and smiled briefly.

"Alright, what would you like to converse with me about?" I asked as I hesitantly poured myself a cup of coffee.

Ismay shrugged and shook his head.

"Well, what were you talking to that young man about on deck yesterday?" Ismay asked.

I looked down and laughed briefly. There he was again, asking about Jack, he still thought I was lying and that Jack was my boyfriend. I looked up at him and nodded.

"Jack is my step brother." I responded. "I met him for the first time yesterday and he was very pleasant."

Ismay nodded with a brief smile.

"That must have been intriguing." Ismay said with a smile, the most beautiful smile I had seen of him.

I laughed and nodded.

"It was," I responded. "Jack is a very nice young man, and he helped me realize that mother is in a better place. I still hate she died though. I still feel alone without her."

As I looked down briefly, I could feel his eyes watching me, I looked up at him and saw him staring at me with sympathy. He shook his head.

"I'm very sorry about your mother's death." Ismay said gently. "But at least you found Jack and you have a brand new brother now."

I nodded with a brief smile.

"Yes, he was impressed by me wanting to go to school in New York." I said with a happy smile.

He looked at me with curiosity.

"What will you be studying in school?" He asked as he took a sip of his coffee.

"Designing," I replied. "I want to design ships just like this, just like Thomas Andrews. I designed several sketches of ships that I've always dreamed of designing and building."

* * *

ISMAY'S POV

I stared at her with complete surprise. This young girl, this young girl who had this big dream of wanting to become a ship builder, she was not only beautiful but intelligent. I was becoming more and more attracted by the minute. I smiled and nodded.

"You wish to be what Mr. Andrews is." I said lightheartedly. "That is quite amazing, do you have your drawings with you? I'd surely like to see them."

Her eyes lit up instantly, which made them even more beautiful. She smiled excitedly.

"Really?" She said with excitement, "you'd like to see them?"

I laughed, I couldn't help but to laugh at seeing her light up so brightly. I nodded as I took more sips of my coffee.

"Yes, by all means, please, go retrieve them, so I can take a look." I said as she quickly sprouted up from her chair and ran out the room. "I'd like to see if you're as great as Mr. Andrews!"

As the deck was silent with her presence, with me waiting for her to return, I smiled and blushed lightly and thinking of how our conversation was turning out. She was quite a gem as I was beginning to see, a rare but beautiful gem who was smart, full of dreams and full of life. I was becoming utterly fascinated by her. As she walked back in the room, she sat back in her chair and scooted her chair closer towards mine's. I stared at her endlessly as she opened up her black, leather book that revealed THE most beautiful sketches of ships, both large and small. I suppose she caught me staring at her, because she looked up at me and smiled.

"Mr. Ismay, my sketches are down HERE." She said, pointing at her book.

I immediately felt embarrassed and scoffed and smiled.

"Right, I'm sorry." I replied with a quick save.

As I looked at each sketch, I marveled at her work. They were amazing. I looked at her and smiled.

"Vidalia, these are absolutely magnificent." I gushed. "These are just as great as the ships Mr. Andrews has built. Have you shown these to him?"

Vidalia's smile slowly faded and she looked down with a slightly disappointed look.

"Well, no, Mr. Ismay—"

"Um, J, my close and personal friends call me J." I said quickly with a brief smile.

I noticed her already glowing skin, blush a faint pink. She nodded with a smile.

"Alright, J," she replied, "I haven't yet because I haven't met him, I doubt I ever will on this voyage because we're not supposed to talk to him. Especially me."

I looked away from her with an eyebrow raised. I knew exactly why she wasn't supposed to talk to him. I looked back at her and smiled.

"Well, I must take you to meet him." I replied with a smirk. "He'd be impressed with your work and maybe, just maybe I can have you to come work at Harland and Wolff."

Vidalia gasped loudly with an even more excited smile. She lit up brighter than a child on Christmas morning.

"Oh really!" She shouted with excitement. "Really J!"

I nodded with a laugh.

"Yes, I think you are ready now to start working on your profession." I replied with a smile. "Forget school, your talent is ready now."

Vidalia laughed loudly and almost quickly hugged the life out of me. I laughed again, I had never seen someone so excited about anything, so—grateful. I hugged her back lightly. As she released me, I was taken by complete surprise when she kissed me on the cheek. I stared at her with a frown and she sat back away from me, staring at me with guilt and embarrassment.

"Oh, I—I'm sorry, J." She said in a low tone.

I stared at her with attractive eyes. I gently touched her hand warmly.

"Don't be," I said lightly. "You're the most smartest, most beautiful woman I've ever met."

She stared at me, stunned, which meant I must have completely said the wrong thing to her, or made her completely uncomfortable.

I looked down and briefly frowned.

"I'm sorry, I just had to tell you that." I said in an embarrassed tone. "Forgive me if I was out of line."

I looked up at her and saw her staring at me with a serious look, a look that held such emotion, light emotion but emotion all the same. She gently touched the side of my face and shook her head.

"You weren't." She said in a low voice.

At that moment, all that was heard was silence, and the crushing of the waves of the ocean, but yet in my mind, I could hear the beating of my own, rapid heartbeat. She was making my heart race, it felt as if I were struck with love instantly. I slowly leaned in closer to her and passionately kissed her. The feel of her soft lips on mine's felt almost heavenly. I slowly pulled away within seconds and looked at her with an unsure look.

"Was it alright for me to—"

"Words aren't necessary right now, J." She said in a low voice.

That was all the signal I needed as I moved back in closer to her and kissed her again passionately. I deepened the kiss as I felt her lean in closer to me. The passion was too strong at that moment, that a kiss wasn't enough, I simply had to have her—all of her. I quickly pushed her away and stood up, pulling her up to her feet, with me. She looked at me, confusingly.

"You make me want you," I whispered in her ear softly.

I took it that my words soothed her, because she wrapped her arms around me and hugged me close to her, so close that I could feel her body pressed against mine's. I wasted little time picking her up in my arms and carrying her back inside my cabin and into my bedroom.


	5. Struck by Cupid

Warning: This scene might be a bit explicit, not too much but it does get explicit, so if you are not into reading explicit scenes, I suggest you turn away now, but for those who are heavy romance lovers, then this is for you!

* * *

Vidalia's POV

Feeling Ismay on me, felt almost heavenly, his soft hands touching every inch of my body, his soft lips kissing every part of my skin, the soft yet strong way that he thrusted himself within me, I winced as he did what I perceived to be playful pauses in the middle of our lovemaking. However as I yearned for more, he went again, stronger, faster yet soft and soothing. It was the most erotic experience I ever had, and I believed it had been for him as well, by the way he winced at every turn and lightly called out for me to not stop loving him in every way, as he vocally yearned for more and more. As we ended, I rested my head on his bare chest, him and I basically out of breath, he wrapped his arms around my waist and kissed my forehead softly.

"That was amazing," he whispered. "I didn't know a girl could do such things."

I laughed with a bit of proudness.

"You should talk, J." I said with a smirk. "I'm amazed a gentleman such as you knew such acts yourself."

"I'm falling for you, Vidalia. Its as if I've been suddenly struck by Cupid." Ismay said in a low voice.

I kissed his chest gently and looked up at him with a smile.

"Great, because I've already fallen for you." I said lightly.

He smiled and pulled me up closer to him and passionately kissed me. It was the most amazing hours I had spent with a man ever. Everything was so right, what could have possibly went wrong? Little did I know….everything could go wrong, in just a matter of time….


	6. Jack & Vidalia

I changed the race of Vidalia, in the beginning of the story, from black to white, I thought it was kind of touchy to make a character from back then African American, so I changed the race to white.

* * *

Ismay's POV

When I awakened the next morning, I saw Vidalia nowhere in sight, I walked out onto the deck of the ship, and saw her fully dressed, pouring coffee, and then cleaning and dusting the deck area. I scoffed and smiled. She had just spent an romance filled night with me and here she was back doing her servant duties as if it never happened. As if it were what I would have required for her to do after what happened during the night. I walked over to her and took the duster out of her hand and held her close in my arms, from behind.

"You don't have to do that this morning." I whispered in her ear, with a brief smile.

She laughed as I kissed her gently on the cheek gently.

"If I don't then, who will?" She replied lightly. "I'm still your servant, after all."

I shook my head and stared seriously at the deck floor in front of us as I still held her in my arms.

"Not anymore, you're not." I said in a low tone.

She turned and looked at me with confused eyes.

"What?" She asked in a gently tone.

I took her hands into mine's and stared into her rich, sparkling eyes.

"I don't want you to be my servant anymore." I said with a faint frown. "I'd much rather court you, that is, if you allowed me to."

She looked down and smiled beautifully.

"J, I—I would like to, but—but you and I aren't even of the same class." She said as she turned and walked away from me.

I shook my head and followed after her, and lightly grabbed her arm.

"Yes, but—but I don't care." I replied seriously. "Vidalia, I'm absolutely smitten by you, that—that class doesn't matter. It certainly won't once we get off Titanic."

She looked down and nodded slightly. I saw that she still had some reservations, that was very clear.

"Once we get off Titanic?" Vidalia asked with uncertainty in her voice. "So until then—"

"Well, until then, I—I mean, I have to keep reservations." I replied. "A lot of people wouldn't understand—you and I—together, don't you see?"

Her eyes averted to the floor and my heart sank a bit. I knew she was disappointed; it was as if I were ashamed to be with her on Titanic, and I wasn't. I just knew what criticism I'd receive from Tommie, Harold, Will, Lightoller and the many others of Titanic, had I came forward with my romance with her. However, as she looked up at me and smiled, my heart skipped a beat once more. She hugged me warmly and I hugged her back.

"Oh J, I'd love to." She exclaimed. "I would love for you to court me. You're the most fascinating man I've ever met."

I gently kissed her on her head and felt as if I were on the top of the world, I had found love, love on the ship of dreams, it was quite remarkable.


	7. First Class Dinner

Vidalia's POV

I spent the better part of the day walking around the ship with Jack and this beautiful young lady named Rose Dewitt Bukater, she was very beautiful with long, red hair and the most smoothest skin. Jack was talking all about his life with his father in Wisconsin, while Rose was talking about her life with her haughty, abusive fiancé, Caledon Hockley. I listened as I always did, I was never much of a talker around those whom I truly didn't know so well. As we stopped in front of the railing of the deck. Rose turned and looked at me with a smile.

"So Vidalia, you've heard us talk about ourselves," Rose said with a curious smile, "but what about you? I know you're Jack's step sister, but where are you staying on Titanic, where are you headed?"

I sighed and smiled briefly before responding, I didn't honestly know where to begin.

"Well, I'm staying in third class, but I'm a servant for J Bruce Ismay." I said with a smile.

Rose laughed.

"Wow, that must be interesting, Mr. Ismay, hmm?" Rose said with a smile. "That's the owner of the ship."

"Yeah, that's what I said." Jack said with a smile and a laugh from Rose.

I nodded and I could tell my face was lighting up with joy just at the mention of his name, from the way Jack was staring at me—with amusement.

"Well, yes it is, he's such a great man." I gushed, my face blushed a bright pink. "He's smart, intelligent, handsome, charming—"

"Ohhh!" Jack said with a laugh. "You like him, don't you?"

Rose laughed heartily and I smiled and playfully hit Jack on his arm.

"Oh Jack," I replied with a smile, "that's not true."

Rose stared at me, daring me with that response and I looked down and sighed, smiling.

"Well, he asked to court me this morning." I whispered and Rose gasped with surprise, while Jack stared at me with a surprised smile.

"My God," Rose said with a smile.

Jack and I laughed.

"Well, shh, you two can't tell anyone yet." I whispered. "He doesn't want anyone to know."

"Well, why? Is he ashamed?" Rose asked.

"No, he's probably just as stuck up as Cal." Jack said with a smirk and a laugh from Rose.

"No he's not stuck up," I said, in defense of Ismay. " He's just not sure how everyone on Titanic will take it, with him courting a third class girl and he's—first class."

Rose nodded with a smile.

"Well, that's great, Vidalia." Rose said, smiling. "I'm happy for you. Mr. Ismay—seems—nice."

Jack sighed and gave me one of those stern 'brother' looks, I almost took offense to it, but then I felt honored, after all he was my brother.

"Just make sure you don't get hurt." Jack said with a brief smirk. "I know guys like Mr. Ismay, first class and they'll use you up and throw you away."

I scoffed and smiled.

"No, surely J won't do that to me." I said with a laugh.

Rose looked at me with a perplexed look and a smile.

"J?" Rose said.

"Oh yes, he said I could call him that," Vidalia said, "this morning when we awakened together!"

Rose and Vidalia laughed loudly together and Jack looked at both of us as if he were completely grossed out by hearing his sister talk about such 'things'.

"Uh—alright, I don't need to hear all that, alright?" Jack said with another laugh from Rose.

Jack grabbed my arm and stared directly at me with seriousness.

"I'm serious, Vi," Jack called me. "Just be careful, ok? I know we just met yesterday but now that I know you're my sister, I—well, I feel protective over you. I don't want you to get hurt with him."

I smiled at his loving statement and quickly hugged him.

"I promise, Jack, it will be fine." I reassured him. "He has been nothing but great to me, since we met."

"Oh hey, Vidalia, you should come to dinner with us this evening." Rose said with an excited smile.

I looked at Jack and then at Rose with an unsure look.

"Oh, oh Rose, I don't know." I replied. "I—I mean, I'm just a servant and—and besides I'd have nothing to wear and—J will be there and if he sees me in my poor third class rags, he'd be furious with me."

Jack sucked his teeth and frowned a bit.

"Yeah, she's right, Rose." Jack said. "You don't wanna mess things up with her and her lover boy, Mr. Ismay before they've even gotten started."

I laughed and playfully hit Jack's arm as he laughed at his comical joke.

"Well, then I have a great idea." Rose said with a smile. "Come with me to my cabin and I can fix you all up. You can wear one of my dresses, I'll apply makeup to you and everything, you'll go into the dining room, looking FIRST class."

I gasped with a smile of excitement. That sounded terrific.

"Really, Rose!" I exclaimed.

"Oh yeah, well if you did that, then yeah, I guess it be alright then." Jack said with a smile and a wink in my direction.

"Yes, it will be great." Rose said with a smile. "It would be great having you and Jack there, you can sit beside me at the table, we can converse and have a great time."

I nodded excitedly.

"Well great, lets do it!" I exclaimed with a smile.

"Great its settled." Rose said with a nod and a brief smile.

I was so enthralled, I hugged the life out of Jack almost and he laughed.

"Oh I'm so excited!" I exclaimed. "J is going to be so surprised!"

Jack laughed and hugged me back.


	8. Chapter 8

Note: If you check my profile on here, I have a photo link of what I picture Vidalia to look like, so check it out!

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Vidalia's POV

It was around six in the evening, when I walked down into the first class dining room. Rose had offered to have me come with her and Jack, but I declined. I said I wanted to go in alone, make an entrance, especially knowing J was going to be there. As I walked through the dining room, I noticed every eye of every man and woman was on me, they stared at me with curiosity, and for the men, with attractiveness. I had to admit, I did look absolutely gorgeous, all thanks to Rose of course. Over a matter of hours, Rose had become like my best friend and for that I was truly grateful. As I walked closer to the table where I saw Rose and Jack were, my heart stopped instantly as I saw J sitting at the table, talking with Colonel Archibald. As I walked over to Rose, I noticed almost every male (except for J and Colonel Archibald) had their eyes on me – Thomas Andrews, Jack and even Rose's fiancé, Cal. Rose cleared her voice loudly, which got the attention of everyone who was talking amongst themselves at the table—including J.

"Um, I would like to introduce everyone to Jack's step-sister, Vidalia." Rose said as she stood up and offered a chair for me to sit down at. "I invited her as well tonight."

Immediately I saw J do a double take look at me. He stared at me with utter and complete shock, as I looked breathless in my long, flowing to the floor, slightly blue, 'off the shoulders' dress, with diamond beads all over it, my long, black, back length hair flowing on my bare back, my thin, but noticeable blue diamond crown on my head, with my minimal but noticeable makeup on. I looked like a princess, a royal princess. J stared at me as I sat down at the table across from him. I looked at him briefly and smiled.

* * *

Ismay's POV

I couldn't believe it, she was actually—there—there in front of me, and she looked absolutely stunning, beautiful, breathtaking, magnificent. My goodness, I never knew she could look so—beautiful. I couldn't take my eyes off her, not for one minute, not for one second. I believe it was at this moment that I fell instantly in love with her, just from the way she looked alone on this night. Cal looked at her with curious eyes.

"So, you're Jack's sister?" Cal asked with a slick smirk. "Well, I take it you're in first class, with the way you're dressed, so how is it that you're related to third class poverty."

Cal looked at Jack briefly.

"Not to insult you Jack," Cal added. "I'm just—stating the obvious."

Jack looked at Cal, ready to punch his lights out and I was awaiting to hear how Vidalia would handle such a question.

She looked down at her plate with seriousness and then looked at Jack with loving eyes.

"Well, I'm third class, to be truthfully honest." Vidalia stated strongly as she stared at Cal.

I heard a few low gasps around the table, but they were from Ruth, and two other women, so it didn't matter to me. Cal stared at Vidalia with surprise.

"Really?" Cal said with a surprised smirk. "Where ever did you get such fine clothing and jewelry from then? What did you and Jack go thieving from other cabins for clothes for tonight?"

As Ruth and Cal slightly snickered, I was hoping, so hoping that Vidalia would set him in his place. I happened to think Jack was a nice young lad, since talking with him at the table, before Vidalia arrived.

"Well NO," Vidalia replied, almost coldly. "Actually YOUR fiancée, Rose lent me everything and she did such great work in her—choices of my attire tonight, don't you think?"

Rose, Molly, Andrews and Jack laughed, while Cal looked unsure as to how to even come back with a response to that. He simply nodded and smiled briefly.

"So you're staying in a third class cabin, then, Vidalia?" Tommie asked.

This is where I felt my throat tie in knots. I wasn't sure how she'd answer such a question but I was surely afraid of the answer she would give.

"Well, I'm in a third class cabin, yes." She replied with a nod. "I'm was to attend school in New York. I aspire to be a ship builder."

Quickly, Tommie looked up at Vidalia with complete surprise and a smile, as did Colonel Archibald, Jack, Rose and even Ruth.

"You desire to be a shipbuilder?" Tommie asked her, with a smile. "A true shipbuilder?"

Vidalia nodded with a smile.

"Yes, I even have a book full of drawings that I've made of ships I'd like to one day build."

Jack laughed lightly.

"Well, I see the Dawson skills of drawing ALSO has been passed on down to you." Jack said with a laugh from Rose and Molly and Vidalia.

"Yes, I saw them myself and they were quite EXTRAORDINARY." I blurted out, not realizing I had just made a confession that I knew her.

Everyone looked at me with perplexity. I had to think of a quick save. I looked down and blinked repeatedly.

"Um, I—I ran into her as we passed each other on deck." I said nervously. "And I saw her drawings, yes."

"Well that is just AMAZING," Molly said with a nod. "A girl with big dreams like that can NEVER go wrong."

"Yes, who knows, in a couple of months or years, you could be like our dear, Thomas Andrews here." Colonel Archibald said.

Vidalia laughed and nodded.

"That would be SUCH an honor." Vidalia said with a smile.

Tommie laughed and looked back at her.

"Well, please promise me you will show your drawings to me, later." Tommie said. "I'd like to see them, we definitely have to talk."

Vidalia laughed and nodded happily.

"I'd like that, Mr. Andrews." Vidalia said politely. "Meanwhile, I'm also am a servant on Titanic."

"Oh how—quaint," Ruth said with coldness in her voice, "who are you a servant for on Titanic?"

Oh this was it, this was it, I KNEW it. I looked down at my plate of food with nervousness. I felt lightheaded with weakness at that moment. As I looked up, I saw Vidalia look at me and I stared at her briefly and looked away. It was my silent way of giving her the signal to not reveal the true answer to that question, but I wondered if she picked up on it. She looked at Ruth and blinked twice.

"I'm Mr. J Bruce Ismay's servant." Vidalia said cheerfully. "And he's THE most wonderful, most amazing, most handsome man I've ever had the pleasure to work for."

Immediately, I heard several at the table gasp, some stared at Vidalia with shock. Those were compliments that only meant 'ONE' thing to those sitting at that table. I looked away from the table, trying my best to hide the anger on my face, but I knew I wasn't doing a good job at doing so. As I looked back at everyone, I saw their eyes were all on me. I looked at Vidalia and she looked at me with guilt, heavy guilt. She looked as if she were about to cry, I didn't want to make her feel bad, she was proud to have even been in the same ROOM with me, otherwise why else would she state such compliments about me. So why make her feel bad about that?

"So Mr. Ismay, it seems you know this young girl?" Cal said as he looked up at me with a sly smirk.

I looked down and took in a deep breath, not sure as to how to truly answer but then as I looked up at Vidalia and my answer was simple. I nodded at Cal with a very brief smile.

"I do, she's my companion while on Titanic." I replied without hesitance. "She was my servant but now she's my companion."

Once again, I heard a few gasps from around the table, a few shocked stares went my way, they all made me feel like I was sitting in a hot seat of embarrassment, but I kept my eyes on Vidalia, who was smiling at me lovingly, it made my admission all worth it.

"Well, that's amusing," Cal said with a laugh. "The owner of Titanic, intimate with a poor third class sister of homeless Jack Dawson."

I stared at Cal with slight anger. He was really acting like a complete jackass on this night.

"She's NO LONGER third class, Mr. Hockley." I responded coldly,. "She's now staying with me, so she's first class."

Tommie looked at me and then at Vidalia and smiled.

"Well, it's a TRUE pleasure meeting Vidalia." Tommie said as he smiled at Vidalia.

Vidalia smiled and nodded.

"You too, Mr. Andrews," Vidalia said with a polite smile.

"And I think its SPLENDID that you are Mr. Ismay's companion." Andrews added. "He's a intelligent man, and from hearing from you, you seem equally intelligent. You two will work great together."

I laughed briefly and looked at Vidalia and she was blushing heavily.

"Thank you Mr. Andrews." I said lightly.

* * *

Author's POV

As dinner was finally over, the men were going to retreat to the smoking room, to talk about business and politics and as Vidalia and Rose and Jack were talking over at the corner end of the table, Ismay was watching her as he got up from the table. He wished she could go with him inside the smoking room, she was so beautiful that night that he didn't want her to leave his side, but he knew women in the smoking room wasn't allowed. His thoughts were quickly admonished by Thomas Andrews walking over to him.

"Mr. Ismay, Captain Smith told me you encouraged him to speed up," Thomas said in a low voice. "Are you sure that's a good idea, so early?"

Ismay scoffed and nodded.

"Of course it is, it would make great headlines." Ismay replied strongly. "And it would make a GREAT finish to EJ's career."

Thomas Andrews looked at him worriedly and nodded.

"Alright, Captain Smith and I are trusting you, Mr. Ismay." Thomas Andrews said before walking away.

Ismay was sure he knew what he was doing by encouraging Captain Smith to speed up Titanic, however he had no idea how wrong he was—or how it would all mark the beginning of a tragic end for not only Titanic and its passengers but possibly for him and Vidalia as well…..


End file.
